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N. L. MORTENSEN AND W. F. LENT.

POWER OPERATED SWITCH.

APPLICATION min SEPT. 5, wie.

Putemed Oct.. "i, i919.`

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2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A TT0R1VEY Patented Out. Y, i919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTATEs 'PATENT oEEroE.

NIELS L. MOBTENSEN, OF .lliILWAITKIIF.,I WISCONSIN, AND WILMAIR. F. LENT, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS 'FO-THF. OUTER-HAMMER. MFG. CO., 0F MILWAUKEE, WIS- CONSIN, A CORPORATION 0F WISCONSIN.

POWER-OPI'EBATED SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

Application mea vseptember 15,1916.l serial No. 118,420.

Improvements in Power-Operated Switches,

of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements 1n power operating and holding means for oil immersed switches and the like.

Such switches must be operated to firmly engage their coperating contacts, while on the other hand, over-travel of the movable contacts must be guarded against to prevent injury to the contacts and. other swltch parts, and heretofore it has been customary` to operate such switches by solenoids. Solenoids, however, have not proven entirely satisfactory in such use, particularly in connection with large switches, and the present invention has for an object to provide'a motor drive for such switches which will beefficient and safe yand adequate for operation of the largest of said switches.

A further object is to provide a torque motor operating mechanism for oil immersed switches and the like wherein the operating motor will serve to hold the actuated switch in closed position subject to release upon denergization of said motor from any cause, or, in the case of an alternating current motor, upon phase reversal.

Other objects and advantages of the 1nvention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a switch constituting one embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the invention is capable of embodiment in other forms falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 shows the switch yin elevation with the oil containing casing sectioned to disclose the switch parts;

Fig. 2 is an-v enlarged elevational lview of a clutch employed in the motor drive; and,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view `through said clutch.

The switch parts illustrated are of a conventional form and include a fixed lami-` nated brush 1, a fixed arcing contact 2, and coperating movable contacts 3 and 4:. The contacts 1 and 2 are fixed to an insulated support 5 in turn fixed to a bracket 6 depending from a horizontal support 7.

The contacts 3 and 4: are carried by an arm 8, the latter contact having a resilient connection with said arm. The arm 8 is vfulcrumed on a spindle 9 provided on the support 6 and has a projecting lug 10 which is connected to a rod 11 passing upwardly through the support 7 and reciprocable to actuate said arm 8 to engage and disengage the coperating contacts. All of the specilied parts are inclosed within a casing 12 fixed to the support 7 and adapted to be filled with oil to immerse the switch contacts.

The [operating means includes a motor 15 adapted to drive, through clutches hereinafter specified, a pinion 16 (Figs. 1 and 3) meshing with a gear :sector 17 operatively connected at 18 to the rod 11. The motor is mounted upon the support 7 and the gear sector is oscillatable upon a spindle 19 carried by an upstanding bracket 20 on the support 7 The motor drives the gear sector in a counter-clockwise direction to raise the rod 11 to thereby eiect engagement of the switch contactsand said sector has a tail piece l21 to abut a spring stop 22 mounted on the bracket 20 to limit the closing operation of the switch parts. .Conversely the gear sector turns in a clockwise direction for disengagement of the switch contacts and the bracket 20 is provided with a second spring stop 23 to limit such movement of the sector.

The pinion 16 (Figs. 2 and 3) is loosely mounted upon the armature shaft 15a of the motor 15 and the drive thereof is effected through both an over-running clutch and a slip clutch. The over-,running clutch is of the roller type and includes a notched member 25 fixed to the motor shaft by a pin 26, rollers 27 and an annular member 28 revolubly said member.

mounted upon said shaft. The relation of revolved in a clockwise direction or the member 28 is revolved in a counter-clockwise direction the rollers 27 lock said sha-ft and member while permitting counter-cloekwise rotation of said shaft independently of The member 28 also constitutes a part of the slip clutch. It has secured thereto by bolts 29 a ring'BO held in a spaced relation therewith by the said bolts and between the same and said ring 30 it carries a friction ring 31. This ring is notched to interlock with bolts 29 for rotation with the member 28 and for lateral play between said member and ring 30to coperate with a friction disk 32 interposed therebetween and integral with the hub of pinion 16, springs 33 being provided to hold said friction rings and disk in frictional engagement. The springs 33 are carried by the member 28 and are interposed between the same and the friction ring 31 and as will be apparent this arrangement of the springs and friction parts avoids end thrust. The clutch parts described being all mounted upon the armature shaft, said shaft is preferably provided at its outer end with a ball bearing 34 in an upstanding bracket 35 on the support 7 Thus, with the clutch connections described, the operation of the switch will be effected in the following manner: Energization of the motor for clockwise operation will drive the member 28 of the slip clutch in the same direction through the over-running clutch. The member 28 will in turn frictionally drive the pinion 16 in the same direction through the co-acting friction rings and disk and clockwise rotation of the pinion will lift the gear sector 17. This will effect engagement of the switch contacts and upon full engagement of said contacts the stop 22 will check the movement of the gear sector. Thereupon the slip clutch Will permit continued operation of the motor until stalled by the friction of the clutch parts. Accordingly, with proper adjustment of the slip clutch closure of the switch may be effected with adequate force and yet without injurious strains upon the contacts or other parts and it has been found possible in practice to adjust the slip clutch to bring the motor to rest in less than one-half of a revolution after arrest of the gear sector without excessive strains on the driven parts. v

After operation of the switch, as Ydescribed, the same 'will be held closed by 'the motor so long as the same remains energized. When the motor is denergized the weight of the driven parts, supplemented by the rebound of the contact springs, will draw the gear sectorv downwardly thereby rotating the member 28 of the sli clutch in a counter-clockwise direction. uch oper- 'thereby during opening of said switch.

ation of the member 28 will act through the rollers 27 to drive the motor shaft 1n the lsame direction until the switch is fully opened and the gear sector is arrested by the stop` 23. The arrest of the gear sector will at once stop the inion 16 and through the friction clutch wi l stop the member 28. Thereupon the over-running clutch will free the motor for continued operation by the kinetic energy stored therein and thus will insure against rebound upon opening operation of the switch.

As will be apparent the structure illustrated is susceptible of various modifications includin the omission of the over-running clutch 'a though in many instances this clutch will be found highly advantageous.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a device having a definitely limited range of movement, of an operating motor therefor and driving means .therebetween for driving said device to one extreme position and restraining the same therein upon subjection of said motor to power and for driving said motor during return of said device to its other extreme position, said means acting upon opening of said switch topermit unretarded rotation of said motor under the inertia acquired thereby during opening of said switch.

2. In combination, a device havin T a definitely limited range of movement, of an operating motor therefor and a driving connection therebetween including a slip clutch and an overrunning clutch, said clutches cooperating to drive said device to one eX- treme position and restrain the same therein upon subjection of said motor to power and to drive said motor during return of said device to its other eXtreme vvposition, said overrunning clutch permitting rotation of said motor under its own inertia upon arrest of said device in said latter position.

3. In combination, a switch having cooperating contacts, certain of the same being resilient, a motor and an operative connection between said switch and said motor including a slip clutch and an over-running clutch.

11. In combination, a switch biased to open position, an operating motor thereforv and driving means therebetween adapted to move said switch to closed position and retain the same therein uponsubjection of said motor to power and to drive said motor during opening of said switch, said means freeing said motor and permitting unretarded rotation thereof under the inertia acquired 5. In combinatlon, a switch, an operating motor therefor, an overrunning clutch an a friction driving connection between said clutchv and said` switch.

6. In combination, a switch, a motor, an

7. In combinatioma switch, an operating motor therefor, an overrunning clutch vmounted on the shaft of said motor, a friction disk mounted on the shaft of said motor, said clutch having a .member fixed to the shaft of said motor and another member loosely mounted thereon and providedr with friction rings to engage` said disk on opposite sides thereof and resilient means to bias said rings together.

8. In combination, a switch, an operating motor therefor and a driving connection therebetween v including an over-running vclutch and a slip clutch, the former comprising a member fixed to the shaft of said motor, a member revolubly mounted on the motor shaft and clutching rollers therebetween and the latter comprising friction rings carried by saidsecond-mentioned member and a member revolubly mounted on the motor shaft and having a friction disk to be gripped by said friction rings.

9. In combination, a switch, a torque motor, and a driving connection therebetween including a gear sector, a pinion meshing therewith and a friction clutch and an overrunning clutch between said pinion` and said motor.

10. In combination, va switch having certainof its contacts resilient, a torque motor, an operative connection between said switch and said motor including a friction clutch providing for slippage therebetween and an overrunning clutch permitting free rotation of said motor in one direction and resilient stops for a driven part intermediate of said clutch and said switch..

In witness whereof, we have each hereunto subscribed our names.

NIELS L. MORTENSEN. WILMAR F. LENT. 

